View allAll Photos Tagged Devastatingly
Czech Republic. Kostel Svateho Jiri (St. George’s Church) was finished and consecrated in 1352, but over the next 300 years it experienced decidedly more than its fair share of devastating fires and other spooky (according to locals) events. When, in 1968, part of the roof collapsed during a funeral service, it proved to be the final straw for the fleeing congregation. They decided to go ahead and admit what they’d known all along – the place was haunted as shit.
The paperbark skeletons and verdant regrowth are constant reminders of the devastating bushfires of 2019 and the subsequent recovery of the vegetation. Betka Beach Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia. monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/disaster/fire/display/118...
Heemstede castle, near utrecht (the netherlands).
originally built in 1645, in a design that looks back to the medieval castle keeps and towerhouses.
the current structure is much restored after a devastating fire gutted the place in 1987.
Heemstede Castle is not a real medieval castle. It was built in 1645 as a manor in Dutch Classistic style by Hendrick de Pieck. Its medieval predecessor, also called Heemstede Castle, was situated some 500 meters to the west / south west, in what is now the Vuilcopse Polder.
When Heemstede Castle was built everything was focused on comfort and luxury and it became one of the most famous estates in the province of Utrecht. It is characterized by its severe symmetrical exterior. The four corner towers gave the castle a feudal appearance and the castle can be seen as a 17th century variant of a medieval tower house.
After Hendrick de Pieck several other owners followed. Between 1680 and 1695 Heemstede Castle was owned by Diederick van Veldhuysen who embellished the interior and layed out the large baroque gardens. In 1720 the castle again changed hands. Its new owner however destroyed the gardens; most of the trees were cut down and the lead of the fountains was sold.
In 1919 L.J. Heijmeijer, coming from an Amsterdam family of corn merchants, bought the dilapidated castle which had been standing empty for several years. He restored the castle and the gardens and used it as a summer residence. During World War II the castle was inhabited by friars from Zeist and after 1968 the castle stood empty again. In 1972 the castle was sold by the Heijmeijer family and under the new owner restorations were carried out in 1974. On January 10th, 1987 however the castle was destroyed by a large fire.
In 1999 the castle was bought by a building company who rebuilt the castle. This restoration was finished in 2002. The castle is now used as an office for a real estate company and there is a restaurant with 1 Michelin Star in the baseme
6 years after the devastating Christchurch earthquakes, major fires break out on the port hills. So far one dead, at least 11 houses have been confirmed as destroyed and 1800 hectares of land damaged (many trees lost).
This was shot at night from the John Britten reserve at the eastern end of port hills and the glow and smoke from the fires is obvious.
This view shows the gondola station at the top left where they were very concerned about the fire reaching them.
Island Shrine - Lake Towada (Ogurojinja Ebisu Shrine, Okuse, Towada-shi, Aomori-ken)
A wonderful place to visit. I enhanced the red in roofs of the shrines as they came out a little dark in my photo.
Lake Towada is part of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park and is the largest caldera lake on Honshu, Japan's main island. It lies 400 meters above sea level.
Lake Towada occupies the caldera of an active volcano, with large scale volcanic eruptions occurring approximately 55,000, 25,000 and 13,000 years ago. The most recent eruption left traces of pyroclastic flows as far away as the modern city of Aomori. The lake is a double caldera in that the inlet between its two peninsulas (called the “Nakaumi”) is the remnant of a secondary caldera which erupted and collapsed approximately 5400 years ago. The mountain continued to erupt well into the historical period, with the last recorded eruption occurring in 915 AD, devastating the surrounding area with pyroclastic flows, and covering most of the Tōhoku region of Japan with volcanic ash, leading to crop failures, climate change and famines.
Japan, February, 2019
On our most recent trip, we travelled along Highway #1 and through Lytton. It has been devastated from raging fires, but there is still beauty along the way. This area along the CNR rail line, shows the results of the latest fire and how it tore through the landscape.
Running along the rail line, the fire took the life of the trees in its path. Here, the blackened trunks stand in golden coloured grasses, and against a palette of whitish mountain rock. Although the land is ravaged by fires, when combined with the rest of the landscape, there is still something beautiful about the scene. The rail line runs on a tilted grade, and I thought of levelling it in post. But, the natural changes only add to the uneasy feeling when you witness this place.
i woke up to the devastating news this morning, as did most of us, to learn that, once again, we are at war...the fate of the world is in the hands of a handful of bellicose, senile, authoritarian "leaders", none of whom have any respect for the value of a single human life...it is a sad, even more dangerous world than the one i woke up to yesterday;-(
No Kings! Peace Now! Impeach the Belligerent Orange Imbecile!
loebner magnolia, 'Willowwood', j c raulston arboretum, ncsu, raleigh, north carolina
Michelle @ DancePhotoLondon
"Giselle, a peasant girl, has fallen in love with Count Albrecht, who has told her he is a villager named Loys. Her discovery of his true identity has devastating consequences.
Giselle kills herself. Distraught, Albrecht wanders the forests – and discovers that Giselle has become one of the Wilis, shades of young women who died before their wedding day. The Wilis dance all men that come across their path to death; but Giselle intercedes on Albrecht’s behalf. Her forgiveness saves Albrecht and releases her from the Wilis, so that she may finally rest in peace"
Focusing on the second Act (known as the White Act), Albrecht desperately looking for Giselle and her tomb. Her ghost waits.
ABNEY PARK CEMETERY, LONDON
The Mammoth pools were in the devastating Creek Fire in September of 2020. I was amazed at how scarred this entire area was from the fire, 45,500 acres burned. The good news is I did see new growth sprouting up out of the land. There are several campgrounds around this reservoir. The fire was so fast that many campers were not able to evacuate ending up waiting for help by going into the water to avoid the fire. 224 campers were rescued by helicopter and taken to safety.
A frosty start on Loch Ba while camping with the kids. I'd spent more time than i'd realised taking shots the night before so my battery died after this shot which, was devastating. My two spares didn't want to fire up either after getting cold. Had dipped to -4 during the night.
Apart from keeping batteries in a warm place (i'll not saying where), it's the first time the i really noticed the reliability of aftermarket batteries compared to nikon batteries. Maybe an extreme test but they failed none the less.
Three weeks ago, we suffered a devastating storm where I live. Since then, the number of birds coming to my yard has fallen by about 75%. So many of my feathered friends have disappeared and I know they will never return.
This is a photo of my dear friend who I called Willie. Willie would visit several times each day. He would sit outside my back door and call to me. If the back door was open, he would come inside and call to me from the kitchen.
I talked to Willie and he chattered in reply. On each visit I tossed small portions of food to him, and after the fourth piece he would give a call that sounded like "thank you" and he would fly away.
Willie was the most personable little bird, he never sat still for long and was always on the move. He had a personality like no other and we had a wonderful friendship. He may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.
6 years after the devastating Christchurch earthquakes, major fires break out on the port hills. So far one dead, at least 11 houses have been confirmed as destroyed and 1800 hectares of land damaged (many trees lost).
This was shot at night from the John Britten reserve at the eastern end of port hills and the glow and smoke from the fires is obvious.
In 1904, a devastating fire left Ålesund in ruins, destroying almost the entire town. But out of the disaster came a masterpiece! Thanks to an inspiring reconstruction effort - and the support of the German Emperor William II - Ålesund was reborn in glorious Art Nouveau style, becoming the architectural jewel that dazzles visitors today.
Today, amidst imposing fjords and sculptured facades, this town is proof that beauty can emerge even from the greatest adversity.
My depressive peak that has been devastating me for several weeks seems to be coming to an end. It's a hard work on myself, and I wouldn't have the strength without my loved ones, and psychological help.
Pascal Quignard said that the only cure for depression is depression. To say it differently, I would say that the scars left by it are like the golden joints of the art of Kintsugi.
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Milena Carbone's art studio
Novels - art photography - dance performance
I've been off line now since last Fri. Sept 21st when a tornado hit many different parts of Ottawa & the Gatineau area including a micro burst that hit my street! In five minutes trees came down on cars, parts roofs flew off etc! It's been devastating! My house was spared except for a few shingles that flew off, my planters tipped over, half of my wooden fence blew over onto the neighbors back yard & my steel arbour, holding my wisteria blew back! Our street hasn't had power since then! Much of Ottawa was at a standstill! It could have been much worse! Luckily no one was injured! I'm so happy to have my lights & internet back, just an hour ago! Hurray! It'll be a while before the city gets back to normal.
You worked so hard to reach this milestone that seemed unattainable due to the many painful, debilitating, intense, devastating and overwhelming circumstances you constantly experience each moment. Maybe it’s important to acknowledge reaching this milestone and celebrate the fact that time after time you overcame battles that seemed too overpowering. This photo project has been a blessing to you and may it somehow be a gift of encouragement, hope, peace or some other benefit for others.
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I decided to share one of my more recent cloud photos in celebration of reaching a milestone with my Clouds photo project that I was unsure I would ever reach. I’ve spent years taking cloud photos and many many months putting this project together for print. On Wednesday evening I managed to get to the point in this project where I was able to order a test print of some of the Clouds images in zine format before eventually progressing with the full zine print. In addition to my intense struggles I battle each moment of each day I also had to overcome the hurdles of fear, trying something new, something unknown, teaching myself to use desktop publishing software and the confusion and complications I was having saving this project as a PDF. It felt like a huge accomplishment and a true victory to see my test print zine on the webpage of the printing company and to click the mouse to place the order. I considered this an accomplishment and victory for myself and hopefully for others as well with the hope it may be of benefit to others in some way. While I am doing this for myself I also have you in mind while working on this project.
You can read a blog post I wrote about my Clouds project here: amandacreamerphotography.com/2022/07/09/photo-project-clo...
Shenandoah’s devastating ice storm of the last two days finally cleared out yesterday, leaving in its wake a wonderland of frozen beauty.
This shot was taken in exactly the same spot - except across the street and looking the other way - as my photo “No Trees Allowed” from a couple years ago, to this day the most favorited photo of the 1800 or so I’ve posted at Flickr.
For the record: these trees *are* allowed.
Welcomed, in fact!
This image depicts an old window on a side façade of the Chiesa della Madonna del Carmine in Noto, Sicily. The window features wooden shutters, weathered with time, and painted in a dark brown color, now peeling and revealing layers of history. The surrounding wall is textured and aged, with warm, earthy tones that complement the rustic appearance of the window. The shutters are partially open, allowing a glimpse of the barred interior window, covered with a light curtain.
Noto, a city in southeastern Sicily, is renowned for its exquisite Baroque architecture. Rebuilt in the 18th century after a devastating earthquake in 1693, Noto is often referred to as the "Capital of Baroque." Its streets are lined with elegant palaces, churches, and buildings that showcase the grandeur of Sicilian Baroque style. The Chiesa della Madonna del Carmine, like many other structures in Noto, exemplifies this architectural brilliance with its intricate facades and artistic details.
The city's historic center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting visitors from around the world who come to admire its beauty and rich cultural heritage. Noto's architecture is characterized by its harmonious proportions, intricate stone carvings, and the use of local golden limestone, which gives the buildings their distinctive, warm glow. This window, with its timeworn charm, is a testament to the enduring beauty and craftsmanship that defines Noto's architectural legacy.
RX_02665_20240511_Noto
Our second day started very early in the morning at Bosque Del Apache Bird Sanctuary. It turned out to be the best decision that we made in our entire trip. We were greeted by a an elderly, retired couple. They take their mobile home and travel throughout the United States and volunteer at various bird sanctuaries. It is their job to welcome guests and inform visitors of the rules and regulations. They gave us tips on bird sightings. This particular day they let us know that quite a few roads were not accessible due to the controlled burn that was taking place. We were disappointed but resigned to make the most of our day - after all, we had come a very long way to explore this place.
We spent the morning exploring the different roads, stopping to get out and watching for any bird activity. We walked along the many culverts and bodies of water. We saw Hawks, ducks, a Heron, and a bonus gorgeous yellow bird! We even had another visit from the Javelinas.
We ended up at a large body of water and watched as the Snow Geese came in. There were thousands of them. What a noise they made! They seemed twitter-pated, unsettled and kept rising in and out of the water and up into the bluest of all skies. Not a cloud! I kept saying to my husband that I could not believe that the park was doing a burn on that day because it was so windy.
As we watched the birds, the air became so acrid from the smoke. I started coughing. It was horrible. I told my husband that I would bet money that the burn was out of control.
Five minutes later, a panicked Wildlife Officer drove up to us and said in no uncertain terms that we had to leave immediately. They promptly led us out of the Sanctuary.
As we bid farewell to another adventure we watched in the rearview mirror the devastating smoke that billowed from Bosque Del Apache Bird Sanctuary. I had to stop the truck. We got out and surveyed the land remembering it was the same landscape that only last night was aglow with the Golden hour but now it was being ravaged by fire.
In disbelief I snapped this parting shot and we drove off wondering how this story would end...
Ragnar and Freja are twins, and lately they have been feeling totally displaced. In September, Hurricane Ian hit Florida and brought devastating flooding to our area. All of the furniture the kitties usually get comfy on is gone now, as my house sustained over $62,000 worth of damage, and about $50,000 worth of contents, PLUS appliances, and even the cats' cat tree and scratch post. They wake me up about 2 hours early every day out of boredom and wanting to get in my bed! Hopefully things will get back to normal in a few months.
This photo was taken 2 days before the flood, and they were on their favorite sofa which is now gone. This was a level 3 blackwater event, which meant there was sewage and chemicals in the water, so no wood furniture or porous items could be saved due to contamination.
I have been trying to raise money on Go Fund Me to help with the expenses that insurance won't cover, like renting a place for me and the kitties while my house is being restored. If you are able to help, it would be greatly appreciated. The link to Go Fund Me is here: gofund.me/7fa597a7 Thanks!
The devastating tsunami of 1960:
Because of drawings, stories and photographs that are kept, it is known that until 1960 the state of conservation of the ahu was relatively good; even though the statues layed with their faces facing the ground and one of the lateral wings had been destroyed by having used the stones as a fence building material for the cattle.
But the night of May 22nd to 23rd of 1960 everything changed. On that fateful date one of the largest recorded earthquakes in history, with an intensity of 9.5 on the Richter scale, took place. It destroyed most of the central and southern regions of Chile causing numerous victims, since its epicenter was located in the Chilean city of Valdivia located 3,700 km east of the island.
But the disaster was even greater because the earthquake produced a wave that moved across the Pacific to reach the coasts of Oceania and Asia, causing special destruction on the islands of Polynesia. Almost 6 hours after the earthquake, the tsunami reaches Easter Island on its eastern side, hitting Tongariki directly.
Thanks to the fact that the town center of Hanga Roa is located on the west side, there was no need to mourn victims or serious damage, despite the sea level rose considerably. The tsunami skirted the island and resumed its course to Polynesia, where 15 hours after the earthquake, a wave of 10 meters high hit Hilo in Hawaii, killing dozens of people and destroying the city completely. The devastation continued until arriving at the coasts of Japan and New Zealand.
An apocalyptic landscape:
The first witnesses of the destruction of Tongariki arrived a few days after the tsunami due to the lack of transportation on the island at that time. Several estimates indicated that the gigantic wave that reached the bay of Hanga Nui exceeded 10 meters in height and entered more than 500 meters inland reaching the land near the base of the Rano Raraku volcano.
The tsunami hit the back wall frontally, destroying completely the main platform to the foundations and extending the remains over a large area. The force of the sea pushed some of the statues more than 100 meters inland. Some of them fractured and beat, and others rolled and remained face up showing their face for the first time after several centuries.
When the water receded, it had completely destroyed most of the monument that now presented a Dantesque scene. The whole area was covered with boulders from the coast, stones from the ahu and remains of statues, mixed with human bones and skulls from the tombs that had been under the platform, remains of dead sheep and large amounts of dried seaweed and rotten marine animals.
Before this dramatic event, the Tongariki area represented a first-rate archaeological site from which valuable information could have been extracted on the historical evolution of the island culture. Unfortunately, the tsunami caused most of the remains to be lost forever.
As a historical note, it is worth mentioning that a few months after this serious incident, in October 1960, the seven moai of Ahu Akivi got back on their feet. These were the first statues of the island that were risen after being prostrate for several centuries. A fact that revolutionized the recent history of Rapa Nui and with which began a stage of study, care and restoration of historical sites.
Devastating floods caused enormous damage to the river communities. In the wake of the floods the wildlife has flourished - we were treated to numerous flights of many hundreds of Corellas flying up and down the river,
Chihaya is back with DEVASTATING faceup by ever so awesome greenwolfy and I cant stop crying, so beautiful
but now is time to share with you guys what kind of character she is, and seriously it's one big sad story of sad:
she's merely a memory, now.
Chihaya never knew not one of my current characrers, nor will she know any future ones (with exception of one, but that would be spoiler). But who remembers her then, if she's a memory? They talked once, that day, but there's no way Kazu will ever forget her. He wont, but he also cant: he sees her in dreams, sometimes, and other times while awake, in the bus, in the crowd. He knows it's not really ok, and his therapist (when he had one) said it was his PTSD manifesting itself, but. It never bothered him.
There's no romance to it, it's not like that. It just might be that she stayed to be a guardian angel. For Moegi, at least.
enviromental issues -
figurative artwork
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flooding and mud slides increasing and yet people still deny the effects of global warming..
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Global warming worsening deadly flooding in Africa, warn scientists
Africa is bearing the brunt of climate change despite producing tiny percentage of global emissions.
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Devastating rainfall hits Spain in yet another flood-related disaster
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ai/gimp
#explored
A rare flower indeed.
After the devastating Bushfires of the Australian 2019/20 Summer and then a year of La Nina rainfall.
A sea of colour has swept across wide swaths of the Blue Mountains just a year on from the huge bushfires as long-dormant pink flannel flowers spring to life.
The flowers, known as bushfire ephemerals because their seeds only germinate after fire, are blooming in formerly burnt landscapes from Katoomba to Lithgow and north to Newnes.
The pink flannel flowers provide this beautiful contrast” against a backdrop of burnt-out regions from the 2019-20 blazes.
The flower, Actinotus forsythii, is not so much endangered as rarely seen except by those who frequent scorched earth. “You might only see them once or twice in your lifetime,”
Interestingly, it seems the flowers respond to bushfire smoke to germinate rather than heat.
Floods are no doubt devastating in most cases, but there can still be beauty in them. In this case, what is normally a small waterfall turned into a raging waterfall. It is amazing how God can use tragedy to create beauty. There was once a worldwide flood that destroyed everything, yet it created and shaped most of the beauty we see today!
Amid the devastating current world situation with Covid-19 happening all around us my soul desperately needed some 'outside'. With social distancing our main concern we took a much needed stroll around an area of managed forestry and not a person in sight........and no witchery on the air but spring is! And I guess like many others at this time I felt a reassurance in the natural world.......stay safe everyone x
Sturnus vulgaris (Common Starling - Storno - Estornino pinto - Star...) eating fruits (dates) of a palm tree along the "baie des anges" (Nice, France).
To date, thousands individuals of this species have arrived for the winter. The most spectacular feature of this species is the grouped flights it forms at dusk that precede the descent to the dormitory. The groups, which can include several thousand birds, move in the sky forming dense clouds that deform, instantly change direction, into fascinating arabesques to see.
In some places (e.g. the Maghreb countries) their devastating appetite and huge number can drastically reduce olive harvests and ruin the peasants. The fight against this nuisance has, in the past (?), been carried out using techniques with heavy environmental impacts (chemical treatments with pesticides and/or explosive charges in dormitories) indefensible from the ethics point of view as well as the ecological safety.
Yesterday the local rink was destroyed. It's a devastating loss for the community and all those who have played hockey there over the years--a sad day in Brooklyn.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/newport-and-district-a...
Rink of dreams. It was built in 1972 and I have been playing hockey there since then.
Tumblr I Ipernity I Photo Vogue I art + commerce I Avard Woolaver Photography I Instagram
I am an only child and what that really means is that I spent a great deal of time learning how to exist in the world both alone and lonely. Unlike many kids today who grow up with constant entertainment through the internet screens, I had to learn to use my imagination to fill my extra time. It also meant that I had to get used to having strong feelings and have no place for them outside of myself.
For many years when I was a kid, I really wanted to have as many friends as possible and be the popular one at school. But, I soon realized I had developed opinions that were very different from most kids at school. For instance, I hated Barbie (still do!) and I thought Vanilla Ice was.a thief and that Freddie Mercury (though dying of AIDS at the time) should make him rue the day he ever stepped in front of a microphone. (Most of my friends were developing dance routines to "Ice Ice Baby". So yeah...). For the record, I still detest the person and the song.
You can try to make friends and influence people but if you're a person like me, you tend to think you've given up something genuine about yourself that way. Eventually, you realize you are better off alone.
Then, Cinchel came along and I really couldn't believe it was possible to have this kind of connection with another human. I know some would rather be solitary forever but, for me, the thought of losing him is devastating.
Still, after Trump won the election recently, maybe my old solitary child need for space reappeared. Basically, even if you surround yourself with well meaning people, you can still never escape your own self. I had friends and family calling but I just wanted to be away from everything, especially my own head space. And, when you work in a public sphere and you have to function and not fall apart and succumb to hysterical crying all day, it is exhausting to say the least. I realize we all do this to some extent unless you're the human on the street corner literally screaming non stop until someone attacks or arrests you. There is a persistent sense in my mind, though, that there are a great deal of people who are disinterested and don't connect the impact of choices or lack of choices. Maybe they end up happier or not....I'm not really sure. No one can ever truly know what is like to be another human being.
In any case, when you reach a certain level of depression, you don't even want people around you who you care for deeply because you don't want them to have to witness you at your worst, even when they are willing. It is likely that, as in that expression "You contain multitudes" that we are not so simple as we appear on the surface. There are quite a few complex layers of human consciousness to contend with and they might not all agree with each other.
Today is Thanksgiving in America, which is nice that we have one day designated to be grateful for others while the other 364 days we are competitive, bitter, and spiteful. Well, I try not to be this way. But, you see it with extreme capitalism that these systems drive us to the point of being different selves and ones I wouldn't want to have even a basic conversation with.
Let's be thankful for those humans who have seen our true selves and still choose to share some of their time on Earth with us. We can be thankful for solitude too..for quiet moments and presence within moments without the world weighing on us.
I don't define myself by other people but I doubt I would still exist in this reality as a living breathing entity without certain people.
I hope you find peace today.
**All photos are copyrighted. **
On 28 November 2006, the Parliament of Ukraine voted to recognize the Holodomor, a devastating famine which took place in the early 1930s in the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, as a deliberate act of genocide against the Ukrainian people.
The Holodomor ("Extermination by hunger") was a man-made famine in Ukraine in 1932 and 1933 that killed an estimated 2.5–7.5 million Ukrainians, with millions more counted in demographic estimates. It was part of the wider disaster, the Soviet famine of 1932–33, which affected the major grain-producing areas of the country.
As fellow photographer Phil Kuntz commented, this "Seems to be the new 'normal' in the PNW [Pacific Northwest]" If you live near or travel through the densely forested regions of the western United States, you know that wildfires and forest fires have been a major concern during the past few summers. And they seem to be getting more numerous and wide-spread with each passing year. This particular forest fire was in the beautiful Okanogan National Forest in the state of Washington. Even though I was driving with my windows up, I wore a mask for an hour when the smoke became extremely thick and hazardous. I drove well into the night before I was able to finally get away from it.
I can still "smell" the smoke when I see this image. Let's hope this coming summer is better!
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© Stephen L. Frazier - All Rights Reserved. Duplication, printing, publication, or other use of these images without written permission is prohibited.
This photograph captures a small bakery, or panificio, in Catania, a vibrant city on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. The shopfront, with its weathered facade and hand-painted signage, exudes an authentic charm reflective of Catania’s everyday life. The structure is framed by crumbling plaster and volcanic stone, a hallmark of the city’s architecture, shaped by its proximity to Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The aged yet inviting aesthetic tells a story of resilience and tradition.
Catania's culinary culture is deeply rooted in its history, blending Sicilian, Greek, and Arab influences. This bakery likely offers local staples such as pane di casa (rustic bread) and arancini (fried rice balls), along with traditional biscotti. The mention of "Tavola Calda" on the sign suggests ready-to-eat hot dishes, popular among locals for a quick yet flavorful meal. Catania’s cuisine is celebrated for its rich flavors, with fresh ingredients sourced from the fertile volcanic soil of the region.
The architectural style visible here is emblematic of the baroque influence prevalent in Catania, particularly after the city was rebuilt following the devastating 1693 earthquake. The use of dark volcanic stone juxtaposed with lighter plaster is a defining feature of Catania's urban landscape. The storefront, although modest, carries echoes of this baroque aesthetic with its arched frame and detailed signage, blending practicality with artistic touches.
Today, Catania is a bustling city that preserves its historical roots while embracing modernity. Shops like this bakery are a vital part of daily life, serving both locals and tourists seeking an authentic taste of Sicily. The juxtaposition of historical decay and contemporary vibrancy seen in this photograph encapsulates the essence of Catania—a city where tradition and progress coexist harmoniously.
RX_02608_20240510_Catania
Deutschland Schleswig-Holstein Nordsee Eider-Sperrwerk Tordetail
Das Eidersperrwerk wurde nach einer verheerenden Sturmflut an der Nordseeküste 1962 geplant, 1973 eingeweiht und besteht aus einer Doppelreihe von je fünf Toren. Es schützt die Außendeichlinie im Bereich der Eidermündung vor Sturmfluten und wird von einem 236 Meter langen Straßentunnel durchquert. (Quelle Wikipedia)
The Eider barrage was planned after a devastating storm surge on the North Sea coast in 1962, inaugurated in 1973 and consists of a double row of five gates each. It protects the outer dyke line in the area of the Eider estuary from storm surges and is crossed by a 236 m long road tunnel.(Source: Wikipedia)
photo:
Biserica Mihai Vodă, fosta Mănăstire Mihai Vodă, Bucuresti
St. Nicholas - Mihai Voda Church [former Mihai Voda Monastery], Bucharest, Romania
finished in 1594 [with a major restoration in the 1940s]
www.monumenteromania.ro/index.php/monumente/detalii/en/Mi...
www.monumenteromania.ro/index.php/monumente/detalii/en/Mi...
ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%83n%C4%83stirea_Mihai_Vod%C4%83
One of several Bucharest churches moved from their original location during the communist dictatorship and dumped behind new highrise buildings.
After the devastating earthquake of 1977 Nicolae Ceausescu realized that he can remodel Bucharest on a large scale. An area larger than historic Venice [250 hectares] was demolished to make way for a new administrative center. In total 27 orthodox churches, 6 synagogues and 3 protestant churches were demolished all over the town during that time. After a unique, brave and singular protest of several historians only 7 historically important churches were "saved" by relocation behind large buildings, to make them "invisible". The translation was technically done by first pouring a reenforced concrete foundation underneath the church and then slowly moving it to the new location on rails.
People used to joke back then that Bucharest was the only city in the world to have its own unique traffic sign: CAUTION, CROSSING CHURCHES [like the deer crossing sign]
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Ceauşima [Ceausescu+Hiroshima]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceau%C5%9Fima
Ceauşima ("Ceaushima") is a vernacular word construction in Romanian, sarcastically linking former communist leader Nicolae Ceauşescu to Hiroshima. This portmanteau term was sometimes coined in the 1980s to describe the huge urban areas of Bucharest that Ceauşescu ordered torn down, comparing the results with the nuclear attack on Hiroshima.
Statism [etatism]
Architecture and Power
Arhitectura și Puterea
[1993 Romanian documentary about Bucharest from 1930s to 1980s]
youtu.be/vuyoRpmPnZU [trailer]
THE SOVIET STORY [2008 documentary]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Soviet_Story
Nineteen Eighty-Four [George Orwell]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four
Brazil [1985 movie]
Rebuilt following the devastating earthquake of 1693, its architecture has been recognised as providing outstanding testimony to the exuberant genius and final flowering of Baroque art in Europe and, along with other towns in the Val di Noto, is part of UNESCO Heritage Sites in Italy.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modica
Ladli — which in Indian languages (Hindi and Urdu) means ‘beloved daughter.’
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Photo: Firoz Ahmad Firoz (Doosra Dashak's Adolescent Girls literacy camp, Rajasthan)
"Worst of all, violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence -- yet the reality is that, too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned." (UN SECRETARY-GENERAL in International Women’s Day 2007 Message.)
“Almost every country in the world still has laws that discriminate against women, and promises to remedy this have not been kept.” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the eve of International Women's Day 2008)
According to one United Nations estimate, 113 to 200 million women are “demographically missing” from the world today. That is to say, there should be 113 to 200 million more women walking the earth, who aren’t. By that same estimate, 1.5 to 3 million women and girls lose their lives every year because of gender-based neglect or gender-based violence and Sexual Violence in Conflict.
In addition to torture, sexual violence and rape by occupation forces, a great number of women and girls are kept locked up in their homes by a very real fear of abduction and criminal abuse. In war and conflicts, girls and women have been denied their human right, including the right to health, education and employment. “Sexual violence in conflict zones is indeed a security concern. We affirm that sexual violence profoundly affects not only the health and safety of women, but the economic and social stability of their nations” –US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, 19 June 2008 (Read more about UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict www.stoprapenow.org/ ).
Millions of young women disappear in their native land every year. Many of them are found later being held against their will in other places and forced into prostitution. According to the UNICEF ( www.unicef.org/gender/index_factsandfigures.html ),Girls between 13 and 18 years of age constitute the largest group in the sex industry. It is estimated that around 500,000 girls below 18 are victims of trafficking each year. The victims of trafficking and female migrants are sometimes unfairly blamed for spreading HIV when the reality is that they are often the victims.
According to the UNAIDS around 17.3 million, women (almost half of the total number of HIV-positive) living with HIV ( www.unaids.org ). While HIV is often driven by poverty, it is also associated with inequality, gender-based abuses and economic transition. The relationship between abuses of women's rights and their vulnerability to AIDS is alarming. Violence and discrimination prevents women from freely accessing HIV/AIDS information, from negotiating condom use, and from resisting unprotected sex with an HIV-positive partner, yet most of the governments have failed to take any meaningful steps to prevent and punish such abuse.
United Nations agencies estimated that every year 3 million girls are at risk of undergoing the procedure – which involves the partial or total removal of external female genital organs – that some 140 million women, mostly in Asia, the Middle East and in Africa, have already endured.
We can point a finger at poverty. But poverty alone does not result in these girls and women’s deaths and suffering; the blame also falls on the social system and attitudes of the societies.
India alone accounts for more than 50 million of the women who are “missing” due to female foeticide - the sex-selective abortion of girls, dowry death, gender-based neglect and all forms of violence against women.
Since the late 1970s when the technology for sex determination first came into being, sex selective abortion has unleashed a saga of horror in India and other Asian countries. Experts are calling it "sanitized barbarism”. Worryingly, the trend is far stronger in urban rather than rural areas, and among literate rather than illiterate women, exploding the myth that growing affluence and spread of basic education alone will result in the erosion of gender bias. The United Nations has expressed serious concern about the situation.
The decline in the sex ratio and the millions of Missing Women are indicators of the feudal patriarchal resurgence. Violence against women has gone public – whether it is dowry murders, the practice of female genital mutilation, honour killings, sex selective abortions or death sentences awarded to young lovers from different communities by caste councils, rapes and killings in communal and caste violence, it is only women’s and human rights groups who are protesting – the public and institutional response to these trends is very minimal.
Millions of women suffer from discrimination in the world of work. This not only violates a most basic human right, but has wider social and economic consequences. Most of the governments turn a blind eye to illegal practices and enact and enforce discriminatory laws. Corporations and private individuals engage in abusive and sexist practices without fear of legal system.
More women are working now than ever before, but they are also more likely than men to get low-productivity, low-paid and vulnerable jobs, with no social protection, basic rights nor voice at work according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) issued for International Women’s Day 2008. Are we even half way to meeting the eight Millennium Development Goals?
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Unite To End Violence Against Women!
Say No To Sex Selection and Female Foeticide!!
Say No To Female Genital Mutilation!!!
Say No To Dowry and Discrimination Against Women!!!!
Say Yes To Women’s Resistance !!!!!
Educate & Empowered Women for a Happy Future !!!!!!
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Thanks for all your views, comments and Faves Many thanks.
The blaze swept through the Scottish Crannog Centre in
minutes on Friday
Thousands of pounds have been pledged to help rebuild the Scottish Crannog Centre after a devastating fire ripped through the Iron Age site.
With hours of the fundraiser being launched, donations totalling £13,500 have been amassed to revive the tourist attraction that stood on stilts on the shore of Loch Tay near Kenmore in Perthshire
A “devastating” fire has destroyed a recreated Iron Age roundhouse on the shores of a lake in Scotland.
: Flames engulfed the roundhouse structure at the Scottish Crannog Centre on Friday evening
Flames engulfed the roundhouse structure at the Scottish Crannog Centre on Friday evening
The main building — a crannog — was a roundhouse built on Loch Tay, Kenmore, in Perthshire in the 1990s. Its design was based on findings from an underwater excavation of a 2,500-year-old crannog found nearby on the north shore of the loch in the 1980s.
The recreated structure was made of wood and sat over the water atop stilts. It had a hearth made from stones and clay in the centre of the building, and was covered in thatching with reeds from the River Tay.
The centre was a popular tourist destination that hosted public workshops and educational activities involving Iron Age crafts, basketry and textiles.
On Friday night the roundhouse was entirely engulfed in flames. Only the stilts remained on Saturday morning.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it had been called to the scene at 11.12pm Friday night and found a “well developed” fire at the Scottish Crannog Centre.
Crews had extinguished the fire just after midnight. No one was injured and Police Scotland said it did not believe the circumstances surrounding the fire to be suspicious.
The trust which runs the Crannog Centre said it would be launching an appeal for donations and continuing its efforts to develop a new site on the north shore of the loch.
Director Mike Benson said: "The outpouring of support from the local community and friends from further afield has been tremendous at this difficult time and the Crannog community would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt messages.
"The loss of the Crannog is devastating but, importantly, the museum collection is intact and no-one has been hurt.
"We would also like thank the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland for their instant response to the emergency and their faultless efforts in tackling the blaze and keeping everyone safe in the local vicinity."
St Giles' Cripplegate is one of the few remaining medieval churches in the City of London and, after surviving devastating bombing during the Blitz, it sits at the heart of the modern Barbican development. It is thought that there has been a church on this spot for one thousand years. We know nothing about the early Saxon church, which was probably a little chantry or chapel made of wattle and daub. In 1090, a Norman church stood on this site, built by Alfune, Bishop of London, who afterwards assisted Rahere, the founder of nearby St Bartholomew's, in building the neighbouring church of St Bartholomew the Great.
Some time during the Middle Ages, the church was dedicated to St Giles. The church's full name is "St Giles' without Cripplegate". The name "Cripplegate" refers to one of the gates through the old City wall, which had its origins in Roman times as a fortification to protect the Roman city from attackers. There is no definitive explanation of the origin of the word 'Cripplegate'. It is thought unlikely that it is referring to cripples, although no doubt there would have been plenty of cripples by the Cripplegate, wanting alms from travellers as they entered and left the City. It is more likely that the word comes from the Anglo-Saxon "cruplegate" which means a covered way or tunnel, which would have run from the town gate of Cripplegate to the Barbican, a fortified watchtower on the City wall.
Sections of the old wall can still be seen near the church. The foundations are generally Roman but higher up, the structure dates from various times as it was regularly strengthened and rebuilt. In 1760 the Cripplegate, which up till then had been used as a storehouse and a prison, was sold to a carpenter in Coleman Street for £91 (a huge amount at that time). The church was situated outside the wall at the Cripplegate, hence its name of "St Giles' without Cripplegate".
As the population of the parish increased, the church was enlarged and it was rebuilt in the Perpendicular Gothic style in 1394, during the reign of Richard II. The stone tower was added in 1682. The church was damaged by fire on three occasions – in 1545, 1897 and 1940. The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950 and it was extensively restored in 1966.
Source: www.stgilesnewsite.co.uk/about-us/our-history/
100x: The 2024 Edition
13/100 London landmarks by night
Rebuilt following the devastating earthquake of 1693, its architecture has been recognised as providing outstanding testimony to the exuberant genius and final flowering of Baroque art in Europe and, along with other towns in the Val di Noto, is part of UNESCO Heritage Sites in Italy.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modica
Hey again!
Here's my mission 1.1 entry for the newly revamped 253rd Elite Legion RPG group!
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The most devastating part of the day wasn’t even how much paint melted off our armor.
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“So, I’m thinking a big claw on the left side of my helmet, sort of a half-and-half look, you know?” Clawdite says, explaining to us his new paint job ideas.
“That’s- no, no you can’t do that. We have a pattern already sketched out, remember?” Checkmate says, repositioning the crate in his arms.
I look over at the Twi’lek doctor that we’re assisting. She’s amused. “You can set them right there,” she says, pointing to the corner of the landing pad we’re on. We place the crates down, but I don’t feel any lighter. Something is wrong. . .something is here. The notion begins with a sound. A low sound; hard to hear but impossible to forget. Rhen Var is cold enough without the chill that rolls down my spine. We expected the Seppies to show, but not so soon. A massive bolt blazes through the air and decimates a single lattie keeping us company on the landing pad. Screams are coming from every direction, and most of them share the same voice.
I see Clawdite run towards the mess of flames. He’s after something. I can’t see him anymore. What is he doing? What am I doing? What is happening-- he emerges from the lattie pulling a clone who’s screaming in pain, but alive. I look around.
Checkmate is running off in the snow to help a civilian.
Habit is trying to reach a frightened child. And I . . . I am doing nothing. I’m back on Geonosis. Ink is right beside me. He’s hurt. He’s dead. I’m Ink. I’m back on Rhen Var. I hear a shot. I wake up.
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“It bubbled, don’t you see?” someone says.
“Yeah, but it didn’t run. Mine ran,” replies someone else.
“It’s pricey paint, it should’ve held up,” says a third voice.
“Shh, he’s awake,” says the first voice.
I feel a sharp jab at my neck, and suddenly I’m alert. My squad, beat up but smiling, stands around me in a medical bay recovery room. “Make the long story very short for me, please,” I say.
“Our paint got ruined and you got shot,” Habit says, “Because of the tragic event, we were sent back to ship. And since we didn’t want to leave you all alone, we brought you along, too.”
I chuckle. “How’s the evacuation going?”
Checkmate is quick to answer. “The evacuation went well- you’re proof of that- but Bravo base has been overrun.”
It gets quiet. We can only be thinking of one thing. The sheer amount of power it would take to overrun that base. The loss of lives.
“Then let’s get back out there,” I say, starting to get up. My squad doesn’t say anything, but my body does.
“Oh.”
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“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
-Matthew 6:34
On this extremely challenging journey you experience so much deep, devastating darkness that drains the life out of you. And though it is challenging and often feels impossible, you keep looking for light along this dark road. Somehow these little slivers of light help provide tiny pieces of hope and life that encourage you on a path of growth, healing and recovery. Thank you for working so hard to keep watching for and paying attention to these little slivers of light.
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I took this photo on the way home from a neurofeedback appointment back on November 30, 2021. This ride home can sometimes be a very intense and challenging time for me so seeing this tiny sliver of sunset light—that appears so insignificant— shining on the car dashboard in front of me was actually a big, very meaningful moment for me. This is one of many photos I’ve taken from the passenger seat as we drive twice each week to my neurofeedback appointments. This practice of seeing, appreciating and capturing my surroundings from the moving car can sometimes be very helpful for me.
Somewhere along the road in Iceland just hours after a devastating storm, I had to stay inside all day....very frustrating for a landscape photographer...;-)!
"Save the girl child campaign by SOCIAL GEOGRAPHIC"
Photo: Firoz Ahmad Firoz
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"Worst of all, violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence -- yet the reality is that, too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned." (UN SECRETARY-GENERAL in International Women’s Day 2007 Message.)
According to one United Nations estimate, 113 to 200 million women are “demographically missing” from the world today. That is to say, there should be 113 to 200 million more women walking the earth, who aren’t. By that same estimate, 1.5 to 3 million women and girls lose their lives every year because of gender-based neglect or gender-based violence and Sexual Violence in Conflict ( Read more about UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict www.stoprapenow.org/ ). Millions of young women disappear in their native land every year. Many of them are found later being held against their will in other places and forced into prostitution ( www.unicef.org/gender/index_factsandfigures.html ). We can point a finger at poverty. But poverty alone does not result in these women’s deaths and suffering; the blame also falls on the social system and attitudes of the societies.
India alone accounts for more than 50 million of the women who are “missing” due to female foeticide - the sex-selective abortion of girls, dowry death, gender-based neglect and all forms of violence against women.
Since the late 1970s when the technology for sex determination first came into being, sex selective abortion has unleashed a saga of horror in India. Experts are calling it "sanitized barbarism".The 2001 Census conducted by Government of India, showed a sharp decline in the child sex ratio in 80% districts of India. The Census Report of 2001 reveals a highly skewed child sex ratio (0-6 year-olds), that fell from 945 females per 1,000 males in 1991 to an all-time low of 927 in 2001. The ratio even dropped further to 800:1,000 in some specific parts of the country. Additional data from the India’s birth and death registration service indicates that the figures have further fallen to fewer than 900 females per 1,000 men over the last few years.
The decline in the sex ratio and the millions of Missing Women are indicators of the feudal patriarchal resurgence. Violence against women has gone public – whether it is dowry murders, honour killings, sex selective abortions or death sentences awarded to young lovers from different communities by caste councils, rapes and killings in communal and caste violence, it is only women’s and human rights groups who are protesting – the public and institutional response to these trends is very minimal.
More women are working now than ever before, but they are also more likely than men to get low-productivity, low-paid and vulnerable jobs, with no social protection, basic rights nor voice at work according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) issued for International Women’s Day 2008.
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Unite To End Violence Against Women!
Say No To Sex Selection and Female Foeticide!!
Say No To Dowry and Violence Against Women!!!
Say Yes To Women’s Resistance, Education and Empowerment!!!!
Thousands of people, mainly representatives of Berlin’s Russian population, met on 9 May 2020 at the Soviet Memorial in Treptower Park, marking 75 years since the Nazis' unconditional surrender. From the early hours of the morning until late in the evening, they commemorated the end of World War II and the countless victims of this devastating war.
There are hardly any veterans left who could tell about their wartime experiences. In the meantime, their grandchildren have taken over the conductorship in these celebrations, some of them with touching gratefulness and respect, some others in a rather playful tune. But there are also several illustrious and disconcerting individuals and groups who, under the guise of commemoration, are spreading nationalist, history-distorting and war-glorifying slogans. In the emotionally charged memory of a day when peace returned to Europe, they scatter the seeds of new conflicts and confrontations.
My photo story "Victory Day" documents an experience between emotion and scepticism, between grateful remembrance and exuberant party atmosphere.